Joint press release of the NEDO, JQA, and CYBERDYNE“Robot Suit HAL® for Well-being” to Obtain International Safety Standard Certification for Service Robots (ISO/DIS 13482)

As aging of the population continues in Japan, expectations for utilizing robot technologies in the field of living-support, such as caring for the elderly, is increasingly growing. Meanwhile, although further safety assurance is needed as service robots more frequently come into contact with humans, the technology, standards and rules to ensure human safety still remain underdeveloped, and there is significant concern over the risks of developing and introducing them.

METI has been conducting the Project for Practical Application of Service Robots (see below for details) to develop safety verification methods for service robots since 2009, and has been committed to the collection and analysis of data regarding the safety of service robots and establishment of human safety standards, testing methods, and safety verification methods.

The Japan Quality Assurance Organization (hereafter referred to as JQA), in a pioneering move, has conducted certification based on the draft version of the international safety standard for service robots (ISO/DIS 13482), and will issue a certificate on February 27 to the existing model of the "Robot Suit HAL® for well-being," which CYBERDYNE Co., Ltd. (referred to hereafter as "CYBERDYNE") has commercialized through rental or lease agreements since 2010. ISO/DIS 13482 is expected to be issued as an international standard in the summer of 2013.

The verification method for wearable robotic suits that was used in this certification was developed by JQA and other institutions as a part of the Project for Practical Application of Service Robots. Safety tests that were necessary for this certification were conducted in the "Center for Service Robot Safety Verification," which was established by the project.

The Project for Practical Application of Service Robots addresses the establishment of human safety standards, testing methods, and safety verification methods while collecting and analyzing data regarding the safety standards of service robots.

CYBERDYNE has participated in the project and provides "Robot Suit HAL®" for safety tests on service robots that are needed in order to develop verification methods.

February 27, 2013

• Robot Industry Office, Manufacturing Industries Bureau
• Conformity Assessment Division, Industrial Science and Technology Policy and Environment Bureau